Drury making a run for governor

Scott Drury, a Democrat state representative from Highwood representing the 58th District, has announced his intention to run for governor in 2018.

The Associated Press reported that Drury made the announcement in a news release, calling himself an independent Democrat. He did not vote in favor of House Speaker Michael Madigan retaining his post in the General Assembly, making him the only Democrat to do so.

His Facebook account's “About Me” section says he grew up in Highland Park. Drury's biography on the General Assembly website says earned his Bachelor of Arts with high honors from the University of California, Berkeley; and his Juris Doctor from the Northwestern University School of Law, graduating cum laude. From 2003-11, he was an assistant U.S. attorney in the Northern District of Illinois U.S. attorney's office.

Drury began serving in the General Assembly in January 2013 after defeating Republican Mark Shaw 55.9 percent to 44.1 percent in the 2012 general election. Drury beat Mark Neerhof 56 percent to 44 percent in 2014 and Marty Blumenthal 57.42 percent to 42.58 percent in 2016.

Drury's current committee assignments in the General Assembly include Appropriations-Human Services, Insurance, Judiciary, Higher Education, Personnel and Pensions, and Tollway Oversight.

The Democratic field for the gubernatorial race also includes state Sen. Daniel Bliss of Evanston, Chicago Alderman Ameya Pawar; Bob Daiber, superintendent of Madison County schools; entrepreneur J.B. Pritzker; community organizer Tio Hardiman; and businessman Chris Kennedy.